The Truth
by starshine-eyes
Summary: HarryGinny. Full summary inside. To those who have read the second chapter and didn't like it: stick with it. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.
1. The Beginning

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters you recognize. I barely own my car.

**Summary:** What really happened that time at the lake that Harry was remembering when he was supposed to be doing homework. What happens when things go too far, and then get out of control. What will Ron say? Set during Half-Blood Prince, but, until further notice, doesn't really follow the plot, and completely disregards the ending. Rated M for adult themes.

xxxxx

**Chapter 1:** **The Beginning**

"Hey, Ginny," a male voice whispered in her ear. "Fancy a walk?"

Ginny Weasley turned and tried in vain to glare at the smirking form of her boyfriend, Harry Potter.

"Harry, I have to study. I know you can fake your way through your classes because you have Hermione, and you're 'the Chosen One' and all. Most of us are not that lucky." But even as she said the words she was fighting back a grin.

"Ginevra! I'm offended!" Harry said with a smile. "Alright, alright, I'll have you back in time to finish your work before bed."

Ginny smiled and shut her books. "You'd better." She said as she stood.

As they walked hand-in-hand toward the portrait hole, Harry heard Ron call after him. "Hey, Harry! I need your help with this essay for Slugworth! Where are you going with my sister?"

"Ron, shush." That was Hermione. Harry couldn't help but grin.

They walked in silence to the lake, at this rate Ginny wouldn't finish anything tonight. They were standing behind a clump of bushes when Ginny started to get really frustrated. She stopped walking and looked at Harry, with a look reminiscent of an angry Mrs. Weasley.

"So, have you had your exercise for the day? Can we head back now?"

"Not quite."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and as he started to lean in to kiss her she put her hand on his chest and tried to push him back. "Oh no, Mr. Potter. You will not be getting lucky tonight. I have a Defense Against the Dark Arts test tomorrow that I need to study for. And besides, did you really think that you'd get away with this? If I didn't really like you I'd be truly offended. Out by the bushes near the lake? Honestly."

"Come on, Ginny. You know we can't do this in the castle. Ron'd go ballistic if he saw me feeling up his little sister, even if I am dating her." Harry tried to smirk at her, but it faded when she glared at him again.

"Alright, fine."

Ginny kissed him quickly, and grabbed his hand again as it tried to sneak it's way up the front of her shirt. It was, after all, Sunday, and they weren't required to wear their uniforms to study in the common room on a Sunday. She started heading back towards the castle with Harry in tow, but after a moment she stopped short so that Harry, who wasn't really paying attention, crashed into her.

"What?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to him. She twisted around in his arms and looked up into his green eyes. She kissed him quickly again and then smiled at him while running her fingers through his untidy black hair. He was even more confused than before. "What?"

"Oh, screw it. I know my Dark Arts stuff like the back of my hand, thanks to you. You just might get lucky after all."

Harry fought back a smile and said in a very serious voice, "Now Ginny, what would Ron say?"

"Who cares. He knows that if he annoys me too badly I'll just hex him. "They both grinned at this, knowing it was true.

"Well, if you insist," Harry said, leaning ever closer.

"And I do."

The bushes no longer covered them, but neither of them cared. They continued to kiss, Harry slipping his tongue into Ginny's mouth, and his hand up her shirt. Ginny broke away long enough to sit down on the grass, and drag Harry down after her.

"Well then. You're rather forceful when you're horny," he said smiling at her while she tugged off her tee shirt, and then began pulling at his.

"Oh, shut up," she muttered lying back on the grass and pulling Harry after her by the belt loop of his jeans.

They hadn't been back at kissing but a minute when Harry felt a tug on his belt. He broke away in order to fumble with the clasp on Ginny's bra while she muttered swear words in the general direction of Harry's belt.

"You know what? Let's switch. I'm guessing you'll have a little more luck with that clasp, and I know how this belt works," Harry said with a slight laugh. He was completely mystified as to how bras worked, but he figured that this was neither the time nor place to try to figure it out. He never thought that undressing would be this difficult. But he also never figured he be trying to undress himself while practically attached to another person.

Harry was still untangling his belt from his pants, when he was suddenly flat on his back, his belt in his hand and a very confused look on his face. Ginny put a finger to her lips and gave him a very seductive look, then kissed him quickly, her bare breasts colliding with his chest. She then got to her knees and started inching her way backwards. Harry was now completely perplexed, but it all became clear when she leaned forward and placed a kiss on his stomach, her fingers playing with the button on his jeans. The button proved much easier to navigate than the belt, and within seconds she was starting to back up even further, pulling his jeans and boxers with her. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, a look of pure concern on his face. Her only response was to grin and kiss the very tip of his cock. He look of concern quickly changed to a look of pleasure.

Ginny started to take his length into her mouth, getting almost to the base before running out of room in her mouth. As she started to pull back up again, she lightly ran her teeth along his dick, making him moan lightly.

After a little while longer of this, Ginny kneeled back up, and started moving forward again. She leaned forward and kissed Harry firmly on the lips, and as she did so, she felt him shift under her. He rolled the two of them over so that it was he that was half kneeling, and began to fumble with her jeans. Once he had the button undone, and starting to shift himself down, Ginny said, "Enough of this foreplay crap. Let's just do it."

Harry, although slightly concerned that he wasn't doing this right, did as he was told, slipping Ginny's jeans and panties down, and positioned himself, carefully, over her. She looked up at him and saw the concern in his eyes. Sitting up she kissed him lightly. "It's alright. I want this. Really. I do."

"Okay," he said a little tentatively, slipping himself inside her as she lay back.

Ginny let out a gasp, which quickly turned into a moan, as Harry began to speed up a little. She heard Harry's breathing start to become quicker and more shallow, and realized that hers was as well. She felt a tingling that started in her stomach and spread it's way. Just as she let out a final, low moan, her orgasm passing, she felt Harry shudder, and come inside her, heard him moan, and felt him lay down beside her.

He placed a hand on her stomach, tracing a slow circle around her belly button with his finger. He snuggled up close to her, placing his face right next to her ear. In a hoarse whisper he said, "I think I love you, Ginevra Weasley."

She turned her face slowly to look at him. His eyes were closed and he had this complacent grin on his face. He looked more beautiful to her then, than he ever had before. She leaned down and kissed him softly, for a moment, then whispered back, "I think I love you too, Harry Potter."

They stood and dressed quickly, not caring if jeans hung right or if tee shirts were inside out. They walked slowly back to the common room, Harry hoping no one would still be awake, so they could climb into their beds, no one paying any attention to their disheveled appearances. He, however, was horrified to note that they only ones left in the common room when they got there were Ron and Hermione.

As they climbed through the portrait hole Ron looked up. "Where have you guys been? It's almost midnight. You left almost four hours ago. What the hell could you have been doing for that long?"

Harry and Ginny, both intending to ignore the questions, started collecting their stuff from the near by table.

Ron glared at his best friend. "Well?"

Harry almost laughed. Ron was more like his mother that he knew. Keeping a straight face he said, "We went out to get some fresh air and talk and stuff, and we lost truck of time. I'm sorry. Did we worry you, Mum Weasley?"

Hermione and Ginny both snorted, and Ron made a grotesque face, and flipped Harry off.

Ginny, having collected all her books, kissed Harry quickly, and started to move off towards the staircase to the girl's dormitories, but Hermione grabbed her wrist. "Hey Ginny, you've got a bit of grass in your hair. Actually, come to think of it, your shirt isn't..." And then it dawned on Hermione what was going on. She blushed deep red, and made a soft 'oh' noise, and started to gather her things. Once she had everything together, she and Ginny sped of toward the dormitory, giggling, and whispering.

Ron, being clearly thicker than Hermione, just stared confusedly after them. "I'd bet it's about you, mate. Don't worry though. Girls do stuff like that all the time. Although, now that she mentioned it, you've got a bit of grass in your hair as well. Were you guys laying in the grass?"

"Yeah. You caught me," Harry said with a grin, knowing Ron wouldn't be this friendly when he found out what the girls were really whispering about. "I'm going up to bed."

"I'm right behind you. I'm beat."

xxxxx

Okay, that's it for the first chapter. Depending on reactions, I might write more. Let me know what you think. And thank you to Baby Huey for informing me, once again, what Ginny's real name is. Either, I'm a complete dope, and can't spell to save my life, or I was misinformed the first time I was corrected. Either way, I blame myself for being a big loser, and not just looking it up before publishing this.


	2. Brotherly Love

Author's Note: It may take me a while to get chapters up in the next few days. I'm working every night this weekend, every day next week, and making up for some serious lost sleep where I can. I'm writing what I can, when I can, but it might take a little while. Please be understanding, and the beginning of August, I will probably be able to update more frequently. Also, this story has a classic, overused plot theme, but I'm going to try my best to make it original.

Chapter 2: Brotherly Love

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When Harry woke up the next morning, the dorm was empty. Glancing at the clock next to his bed he realized that it was only seven o'clock. He dressed slowly, and headed down to the common room. The next thing he knew he was on the floor in the common room and his whole body ached.

"RONALD!" Ginny cried.

Harry rolled over to his back, trying to take in the scene around him. Ron was standing over him, breathing hard, and holding his wand. A few feet away, a shocked looking Hermione was holding back Ginny, who seemed infuriated. There didn't appear to be anyone else in the common room, but with Ron in this state, Harry couldn't say he blamed him.

"You fucked my sister," said Ron, obviously trying to restrain himself.

"Wha-- how did you find out about that?" Harry looked over at the girls.

Hermione blushed, dropped Ginny's arms, and looked at the floor. "We were talking on the stairs last night, and Lavender overheard us. She swore she wouldn't tell anyone, but you know how she is. She told Dean, who told Seamus, who told Neville, who accidentally let it slip to Ron."

While Hermione was explaining the spread of news, Ginny, who had been freed, went over to where Ron was standing and began beating him in the arm with the book she was holding. "You. Stupid. Prat. It. Wasn't. Harry's. Fault." As soon as Hermione, blushing even harder, realized what was happening she ran over and grabbed Ginny by the elbows again.

"It wasn't?" said both boys in unison. Ron gave Harry a very warning look.

"No. It wasn't. We went for a walk, and it just... happened," Ginny said with a smile. Ron looked disgusted, and Hermione's face was beginning to turn a deep shade of maroon.

Ginny glared at Ron, who gave her a defiant look, then said through gritted teeth, "Well, I suppose, it's better you than someone else. Just be nice to her." He hesitantly held out a hand, which Harry cautiously took, and then smiled.

"Thanks, mate."

"Well, just because I'm not cursing you every five seconds, doesn't mean I'm happy about it." Ron's serious face broke into a tiny smile.

Hermione let Ginny go, scoffed and headed out of the common room, muttering something that sounded vaguely like "boys". Ginny just stood there half glaring, half smiling, at the two of them. Ron gave Ginny a look that seemed to say, 'that book really hurt, you know,' and then left as well.

Harry looked at Ginny and said, "He's just looking out for you, you know."

"Yeah, well, he ought to know by now that I can take care of myself," Ginny said, still sounding a little annoyed.

Harry shrugged. "It's a brother thing I guess."

A few weeks passed, and all seemed as it should be. Classes, were classes; hard work, and usually boring. Harry and Ginny were falling more and more in love, and seemed to be rubbing off on Ron and Hermione. They could bearly be in the same room with each other; every time they looked at each other, they blushed bright red, and began to stumble over whatever they were trying to say. Harry and Ginny found it enormously funny. Ron and Hermione did not.

"I don't see what's so funny," Hermione said, after recovering from her latest bought of the stutters.

" Oh really? Ron's looking at you," Ginny said trying to stifle a giggle.

Hermione's head whipped around. She blushed severely, and said "I--I--I think-- oh never mind."

"Hermione, why don't you just tell him you like him?" Harry said, also trying not to laugh.

"Oh Harry, don't be silly, I couldn't possibly do that." Hermione sniffed loudly, and then went up to her dorm.

The next morning, Ginny sat up with a start. She had realized that not only was she supposed to have her period, but it was due to have started three days ago. Nothing good could come from this. She stood and dressed as quickly, running down the staircase until she got to the sixth year dorm. She burst through the door, ignoring the questioning looks she was getting from Lavender and Parvati. She ripped open the hangings on Hermione's bed, and sat down, closing the hangings again behind her. Hermione sat up, looking at her through sleep filled eyes. Seeing the look of, if Hermione didn't know better she'd say terror, on her friend's face, she began to wake up a little more.

"What's the matter?" she asked rubbing her eyes.

Ginny leaned forward, so as not to be overheard by anyone other than Hermione, and said as quietly as possible, "I think I might be pregnant."

Hermione almost choked on the yawn she was trying to stifle. "WHAT?" she said, more loudly than she had meant to. Ginny quickly shushed her, and she said in the same tone Ginny had, "what?"

"I might be pregnant. I was supposed to get my period three days ago. Hasn't exactly happened yet."

Hermione tried to, very quickly, rationalize it. "Well, maybe it skipped this month. That happens every so often, you know."

Ginny shook her head. "It's never happened to me before, why would it start now?"

"I think, you'll have to go to Madam Pomfry about this one,"Hermione said. It was the only other option.

"I'm scared, Hermione." Ginny certainly looked scared. More scared than Hermione had ever seen her, that was for sure. Hermione reached out and squeezed Ginny's hand.

"I'll go with you, okay." Hermione tried to give Ginny a reassuring smile, but she wasn't sure it had worked all that well. She was scared too.

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I know it's short. I apologize. But didn't want to give too much away in this chapter. I'll get the next one up as soon as possible, but as I said above, I'm really busy right now. Also, bare with the plot, it'll get better. I promise


	3. Pregnant

**Author's Note:** Don't underestimate me quite yet. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. Just follow my lead. Also, keep in mind that I'm not exactly following Rowling's plot, so Dumbledore doesn't die in this story. Other things from her plot follow through, but you'll see. And there's a tiny Hawthorne Heights reference in there for the observant. I'm very proud of anyone who picks up on it.

**Chapter 3: Pregnant**

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"I'm sorry, my dear. You are pregnant. Fortunately, you should be on holiday before you start to show."

Ginny's face fell. She really was pregnant. This wasn't a fluke, or something small she was getting way to worried about. "Thank you, Madam Pomfry."

"Oh wait, before you go, take this. It should counteract a lot of symptoms for the time being. At the very least, you won't feel the need to throw up in the middle of class." Madam Pomfry gave her a small bottle and a sad smile, and Ginny left with Hermione in tow.

As soon as the were outside the hospital wing, Ginny started to cry. This scared Hermione, but she still tried to comfort her red-headed friend. "Oh Hermione, what am I going to do? I can't tell Harry. He'll go all noble, and I don't want him to screw up his whole life, just for me. And if Ron finds out... I don't even know how he'll react. He might toss a nutty, or he might never speak to me again. And I know my mum'll kill me." And then she started to cry so hard she couldn't get real words out. Hermione just hugged her tighter, occasionally whispering comforting things in her ear.

"It'll be alright, Gin. It'll all work out. I'm not worried. I'll stick by you no matter what. And I'll make sure Ron doesn't over react."

Ginny calmed down a little at this. She wiped her face and sniffed a few times. "You promise?" she asked, giving the older girl a weak smile.

"I promise."

x

"You're WHAT!" Several heads in the common room whipped around to see the source of the disturbance.

"Ron, quiet down." Ginny said through gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "You're what?"

"Pregnant." A single tear rolled down Ginny's cheek. Ron actually laughed a little. "What could you possibly be finding funny about this, you stupid git."

"Mum's going to kill you," Ron said laughing a little louder.

"That's the least of my worries right now," Ginny said, giving her brother a very hard look.

Ron gave a nervous cough. "Er, right. So it's Harry's then." Ron seemed extremely uncomfortable. Ginny nodded slightly. "You've got to tell him, Gin," Ron said quietly, looking at the floor.

"I know. It's just... hard." A few more tears escaped her eyes. And then she felt a hand on her face, wiping gently at the tears there. She looked up and saw her brother giving her a reassuring smile. It was his hand. This was the kindest, most brotherly thing, he had done for her in a very long time. She couldn't help but smile at him.

"It'll be alright. I promise." And then Ron got up and walked across the room to have a loud, obnoxious conversation with someone Ginny knew vaguely to be a seventh year.

x

Two months passed, the school year began to come to a close, and Ginny still hadn't told Harry. She was also beginning to find it more and more difficult to hide it. On the last day before they were sent home for the summer, Ginny and Harry were walking together on the school grounds. When they got to the spot where they had had sex those months before, Ginny stopped suddenly.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked.

"I have something I have to tell you." Ginny looked uneasily at him.

"Oh. I have something to tell you too." He shifted his weight between his feet, and ran his hand through his hair.

"Oh, er, well, you go first then," said Ginny, wondering what he could have to say.

"You know that I love you, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, er, I-- I can't do this anymore, Ginny. I love you too much. I'm the number one enemy in Voldemort's eyes. And I know that he'll do whatever it takes to get to me. I can't put you in that kind of danger. If anything happened to you because of me, I'd never forgive myself."

"Oh." Ginny was crushed. She couldn't tell him now. "Okay. I understand."

She started to walk away, back up to the castle. She heard Harry saying things to her. "I love you," was all she heard.

xxxxx

Okay, so I put this chapter together faster than I thought I would, but that's because the sleeping thing isn't working that well. It's three o'clock in the morning, and while I'm doing this, I'm trying to learn stuff for work Monday. Anyway, let me know what you think. Comments, and constructive criticism appreciated. Flames are not, unless you being marshmallows.


	4. Anger Management

**Author's Note: **Sorry it took me so long. I've been insanely busy. I've been working and doing a lot of volunteer work. Plus, one of my good friends broke her wrist and another had jaw surgery, so I've been helping them out a lot. And now I'm sick. It sucks. Anyway, slowly but surely I've been working on this. And now, here it is.

And as always, I'm not following Rowling's plot exactly, but certain things play in.

**Chapter 4: Anger Management**

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On the train ride home, Harry sat in a compartment alone. Ginny refused to speak to him, and Neville and Luna, deciding that they weren't entirely thrilled with him at the moment either, got a compartment with her. Harry couldn't say that he blamed them. There were very few people in the world that he cared anything at all about, and Ginny was at the top of the list. But then he recalled something Professor Dumbledore had said at the end of Harry's fourth year.

_"Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort."_

Perhaps it wasn't completely relevant, but it had proved to him, in his own mind at least, that he had done the right thing. Staying with Ginny would have been easy, but eventually the time would come when Voldemort would find out, and use her just to get to him. This was so much harder, but it was better. There was less of a chance of her getting hurt just because she meant something to him. Well, getting hurt physically anyway.

Just as he thought that, Hermione and Ron stepped into the compartment. Hermione had her hand wrapped tightly around Ron's arm, and Ron seemed to be finding very very difficult not to start yelling. Hermione gave Ron's arm a forceful squeeze, obviously digging in her fingernails, and let go. Ron loosened up a little after that.

"Hi, Harry. They've finally let us off of prefect duties. Sitting by yourself?" Hermione said, her voice slightly higher than usual, and seemingly very stressed.

"Er, yeah. Ginny's obviously not very happy with me," Ron made a noise somewhere between a grunt and a snort. "And Neville and Luna are agreeing with her, so I was all by myself until you guys showed up. Not that I blame them of course. Even I'm beginning to hate me for this."

Hermione gave him a sad, but satisfied look. "Then why did you do it Harry?"

"Hermione, I've told you. Sooner or later I'm going to have face Voldemort, and I will not let him use the few people that mean something to me. I won't let them die because of me. It's happened to too many people I cared about already. I won't let Ginny be next. The only reason I haven't told you two to forget me, is because I know you won't listen to me. You're both far too stubborn for your own good."

Ron looked slightly indignant after this. He muttered a few inaudible things and then said very quietly, "I'm not stubborn."

"I just think that you're making things harder for yourself than you need to. And even if you're not with Ginny anymore, V-Voldemort, Ron, would you stop that, will still know that you care about her. It's just the way things work."

"You're wrong. I'm going to go to the Dursley's until my birthday, and then Dumbledore and I are going out to find the remaining Horcruxes. He's going back to Hogwarts at the end of the summer, and he thinks that I am too. But I'm not going anywhere until Voldemort's dead. Ron close your mouth, you can't come."

Ron looked disappointed. But then something in his face changed, and he just lost it. "So that's it? You're just going to up and leave? It doesn't matter what we say, because in the end you'll leave anyway! No! I won't let you do this! Not now! You're my best friend, Harry, and I won't let you get yourself killed, not when--" But then he suddenly, stopped short, and all the color drained from his face, and all his anger seemed to disappear.

"Not when what!" Harry yelled.

"Never mind, forget it. Do whatever you want. Let's go Hermione." Ron grabbed Hermione's hand a pulled her out into the hallway of the train, where they appeared to have a minor shouting match, but the door blocked the sound. Eventually, Hermione huffed off in the direction of the bathroom, and Ron stormed toward Ginny's compartment.

x

"Ron, would you stop that, I'm fine," Ginny said irritably, pulling her head out of her brother's hand. She wasn't used to this overprotective older brother routine he seemed to be in the middle of, and it was getting very frustrating.

"I just worry sometimes, Gin."

"Yeah, well. Worry a little less, would you? I've got one perfectly fine mother at home." Ron made a face at her for this. "Anyway, Neville, what were you saying?"

"I was just saying that I can't believe that Harry would do something like this. Leaving you, when you're pregnant? He always seemed so much more... I don't know. Better I guess. He always seemed better than that."

"He doesn't know. I haven't told him."

"Well, you'd better get a move on, Gin. He's planning on leaving after his birthday. And we don't know when he'll be back. Maybe, if you tell him, he won't do something stupid," Ron said, somewhere between sympathetic and irritated.

"He-he's leaving," Ginny struggled with the words.

"In theory. I think he's being thick but--" Ron stopped when Ginny shot him a look.

"He's going to get himself killed," Luna said rather matter-of-factly.

"Luna, don't say that. You don't know that," Ginny said weakly.

"Well, considering what he's up against, and the fact that he's barely seventeen, it does make sense that he wouldn't come out on the better end of this," Neville said sadly.

Ginny just shook her head. "You're wrong. All of you."

x

In the train station Ginny spotted her mother, and twin brothers waving to her. As soon as Ron passed through the barrier, she grabbed his wrist and pointed them out. The two of them started walking quickly toward their family. Fred and George both gave Ginny a quick hug and shook hands with Ron. Mrs. Weasley on the other hand, pulled them both into a suffocating hug. After she released them, she gave them analyzing looks.

"Ron, dear, have you grown again? You seem taller. Perhaps it's just those pants." She then reached out and began pulling on the end of Ginny's oversized tee-shirt. "Ginny, dear, have you put on a little weight?"

Ginny gave Ron a scared look, and then answered, "Well, mum, you know. I guess it was just too many Honeyduke's chocolates."

"Yes, well. You were on the thin side anyway. It did make me a little nervous." Mrs. Weasley gave her daughter a quick smile and then lead all four of her children out of the station.

While Fred and George had their mother engaged in a discussion about staying for dinner, Ginny quickly turned a punched Ron in the arm. "You told her didn't you. I trusted you, and you told her, you git."

"Hey, that hurt. And no, I didn't tell her. It's not my fault you're fat. I blame Harry."

"How is Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley asked smiling at her two youngest children.

"He's fine, mum. I wouldn't expect him to be round this summer though. His having a minor bout of stupidity lately," Ron said angrily.

"He and Ron had a shouting match on the train. Something about going off with Dumbledore this summer," Ginny said.

"Oh, yes. I heard about that. I do hope he'll be alright. I really wish he wouldn't go, but I suppose it's not my place to say anything."

"And when has that ever stopped you, mum?" Fred asked playfully.

"Oh shush."

x

The next morning, Ron was the first into the kitchen, which surprised even him. Sitting down at the table, about to fall back asleep, he found a note sitting in the middle of the table. It read:

_Dear family,_

_I cannot stay here this summer._

_I love you all,_

_Ginny_

"Oh man," Ron groaned. He put the note back where it had been, and headed back to his room. He didn't want to be there when his mother found that.

xxxxx

That's it for this chapter. Let me know what you think.


	5. Leaving Home

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry for taking so long to post the next chapter. I had a serious case of writer's block. Nothing I came up with sounded right when I read it over again. But at two in the morning I had a major league brain wave, and this popped out. I hope you enjoy it, and don't be too angry with me for taking forever.

**Chapter 5:** **Leaving Home**

It was midnight and Ginny was frantically shoving things into her backpack. A few sets of clothes, her wand, a picture she had cut out _The Daily Prophet_ of her family in Egypt, and few other things from her room. There were so many other things she wanted to take, but she didn't have room in the tiny bag, and dragging her trunk behind her would be far too difficult. She finished the packing, and turned to leave the room. She gave it on last sad look, and turned out the light, and headed down the stairs. Tears started rolling down her cheeks, she was leaving the only home she had ever known and a family who loved her. Maybe she'd come back someday, but for now, she had to get out of there. She wrote out a quick note and left it on the kitchen table.

When she got out into the yard she raised her right arm in the air, and within moments the violently purple Knight Bus was on her front lawn. She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand, and as soon as the door opened, she climbed on.

"Where are you headed, young lady?" asked Stan, the conductor.

"Um, The Leaky Cauldron," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. She paid him out of the little money she had, and then took the seat he offered her. It was a quick journey, because there were very few other people on the bus, and Ginny was glad. Watching buildings jump out of the way as the bus came careening towards them, wasn't the most pleasant sight.

As she stepped off in front of the little pub in London, Stan smiled at her and said, "Have a nice night, miss."

She walked into The Leaky Cauldron and was happy was to see that no one was in the bar itself. She walked into the back, and tapped the brick letting her into Diagon Alley. She didn't want to send much time there, but she needed to exchange her money. When she handed the goblin her money and asked for the equivalent in Muggle money, he made a face, but gave her the money all the same.

However, she hadn't thought any farther than this into her plan. She didn't know where to go from here. She couldn't stay in The Leaky Cauldron. There would be too many people in there that she knew. And she knew very little of Muggle London. She walked to a nearby park and sat on a bench to think. She was actually considering just going home, when she heard a voice next to her.

"What's a young girl like you doing out here this late. It's almost four, you know?" A woman wearing jeans and a blue parka was standing next to the bench. When Ginny looked up, the woman sat down next to her.

"I, um, ran away. I can't face my family right now, except my brother Ron. But I don't know where to go now."

"Well, honey, there's a shelter just up the street, that I can take you to. I work there. They'll give you some food, and they can help you find a job. I'm Jackie by the way." Jackie held out a hand for Ginny to shake.

Ginny took it. "Ginny. Do you think they could help me find an apartment?"

"Maybe. Maybe even one that takes babies?" Jackie raised an eyebrow, and looked at Ginny.

"How did you-"

"Years of practice, honey. Come on, let's go."

x

A week later, Ginny decided to go back into Diagon Alley, to send Ron an owl, letting him know she was okay. She watched the owl fly away, and started to cry. As she left and headed back towards The Leaky Cauldron, she kept her eyes on the ground. When she bumped into someone, she didn't even look up. She merely muttered a quick apology, and hurried off towards the pub. She only stopped when she heard a man calling her name.

She turned and saw George behind her looking shocked. "Ginny, what are you doing here? Is everybody here?"

"I have to go," she said hurriedly. She knew it was a possibility that she would bump into one of her brothers, since three of them worked in Diagon Alley, but she had really hoped it wouldn't happen. She started to run towards the Muggle world, crying even harder. By the time she reached the shelter, she was almost in hysterics.

When Ginny ran in the door, she almost ran down Jackie, who was about to leave. "Honey, what happened? I thought you were just going to the post office to send that letter to your brother."

"I was," said Ginny starting to calm down a little. "But I ran into my brother George outside the post office. And he doesn't know I'm pregnant, and he doesn't know I'm here. And I couldn't tell him."

"Hold on. I thought, your brother's name was Ron," Jackie said, looking confused.

"It is. I have six brothers. Ron lives at home with my parents. Fred and George, they're twins, opened a joke shop here in London, and live in the apartment over the store. I'm not sure where Percy is. He had a bit of a falling out with my parents. Charlie's in Romania, he works as an animal trainer there. And Bill, the oldest, just got back from living in Egypt. He's living near home until he gets married at the end of the summer," Ginny explained.

"Oh. You miss them don't you?" Ginny nodded. "And you're sure you can't go home?" Ginny nodded again. "Well then, go see those councilors again. I hear that they have good news for you."

Ginny walked toward the door at the back of the room that held the office of the resident job councilor. When she walked in a stocky, balding man, wearing reading glasses and an ugly tie looked up at her. When he saw her he smiled.

"Ah, Miss Weasley. We've found a job for you. There's a restaurant not to far from here, looking for waitresses. They've agreed to hire you, although you are pregnant. I promised that you'd go back to working for them after the baby was born. It's a place called Jimmy's. Also, we've found an apartment for you." He paused and smiled at her. "Your friend Jackie offered to let you live with her."

"What?"

"I said-" he started to repeat himself, but Ginny cut him off.

"I heard what you said, I'm just not entirely sure I believe you," she said and frowned at him.

"Well, you'd better believe it soon, because she's waiting out in the lobby for you. And I already told her about your job at Jimmy's so she can help you with that," he said with a smile. As soon as he finished speaking, Ginny thanked him and ran from the room. She ran to Jackie, and hugged her.

"Thank you, so much," Ginny said with a huge smile.

"You're welcome, honey." Jackie said with an equally big smile.

x

_Ron, _

_I just wanted to let you know, that I'm fine, I'm living in Muggle London, and currently looking for a job. Please don't tell Harry about the baby. And if you can tell mom, that I'm fine, without her interrogating you, please do that too. I'm sort of unreachable right now, but as soon as anything happens, I promise to write you._

_Love,_

_Ginny _

The letter had arrived a two days before, and Ron had already read it a few thousand times. He wished he could write her and tell Ginny how much everyone missed her. How their mother was in hysterics most of the time. How their father was quiet most of the time. But he knew that he couldn't just send an owl out into the middle of Muggle London.

"Ron, dear, what are you reading?" his mother asked kindly.

"Oh, it's nothing, mum. Just a letter from Hermione." He knew he shouldn't lie to her, but it was just so much easier for everyone involved.

"That's nice, dear, do you know if she and Harry are coming round for the wedding?"

"I'm pretty sure Hermione is. Harry, might, but you never know. He could still feel like being an idiot. I haven't talked to him yet. Besides he had a bit of a fight with-" he stopped short, knowing he'd said more than he should have. He looked up, and saw the color drain from his mother's face.

"I see," was all she could manage before she started to cry again. She left the room, leaving Ron to feel awful.

xxxxx

That's it for now. I'll have a new chapter up soon. Really soon. I'm already working on it. In the mean time, let me know what you think of this one.


	6. First Year

**Author's Note:** READ THIS! IT'S IMPORTANT! Okay, this chapter might get kind of confusing. What I'm going to do is do a quick overview of ten years, and then start at the ten-year point. I think just that description of it was confusing, but hopefully you got the point. I'll do my best to make it make sense, but I'm warning you now, that it's weird, so just stick with me, okay. Now you may continue onto the story.

**Chapter 6: First Year**

On January 16th, Ginny had a baby girl who she named Lily Weasley. After a few months of hard work at two jobs, some careful saving, and a good deal of help from her friend Jackie, she managed to get an apartment for herself and Lily. It wasn't exactly the best place to live, but it was their home and that was good enough.

Ginny even got herself a post box in the wizard post office, so that she could send letters to Ron, and he would be able to respond. After receiving a string of angry letters from Ron, she sent a long letter to her parents explaining why she had left and where she was. A few days later she received a letter stating that, although they were disappointed with her behavior, she and Lily were always welcome at the Burrow, and that her parents were very relieved to hear that she was all right. She never sent a letter to Harry, and never got anything from him.

She started visiting the Burrow on a regular basis, so that Lily could get to know her family, and become familiar with the magical world. She also took Lily on trips to Diagon Alley, both to see what was happening in the wizarding world, and to visit Fred and George.

Not long after his graduation from Hogwarts, Ginny got a letter from Ron saying that he had decided to take a job at the Ministry. For the time being, he was in charge of sending and receiving memos for some man working in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, meanwhile, he was in training to be an Auror, and would hopefully, be taking the test at the end of the year.

On her seventeenth birthday, Ginny started using magic in her apartment. Even though she hadn't finished her magical education, she had come of age, and was allowed by law to practice magic. She also spent a lot of time in the storeroom of Fred and George's shop learning to Appearate.

Three months after Lily's fourth birthday, the headlines of _The Daily Prophet_ proclaimed that Voldemort had been defeated, and that Harry, who had spent the better part of five years, tracking him down and battling him, had come out of it, bloody, bruised, and shaken, but otherwise, perfectly fine. Ginny had spent the whole week at The Burrow celebrating with almost everyone she knew.

She asked Ron if he had heard from Harry, but Ron said they hadn't spoken since that day on the train. Two months later, she received a very long, ranting letter, from Ron talking about how Harry had shown up one day at the Burrow, apologizing for leaving things like he did, and wanting to make everything right, and be friendly again. In the letter there had been several paragraphs of "how could hes" but in the final paragraph it said that Ron had forgiven him and that he was helping Harry study for the Auror test. After that letter, Ginny stopped visiting the Burrow as frequently, and told her family not to mention Lily to Harry. She still wasn't sure what would happen when she told him, and wasn't entirely ready to find out.

A year after Harry's return, Ginny received a letter from Ron saying that the night before, he had asked Hermione to marry him, which didn't shock Ginny at all. Even though Ron had never really said anything, Ginny knew that they had been dating for a few years at least, and that they had liked each other forever. A few weeks later, she received a note stating that Hermione wanted both Ginny and Lily to be in the wedding. Ginny replied that, regretfully she already had some thing scheduled for that weekend, and that there was nothing she could do. It was something extremely important and confidential. It was a complete lie. Ginny knew Harry would be there, and although she hated herself for skipping her brother's wedding, she couldn't bring herself to tell Harry. It just seemed like, the more time that passed, the harder it became to even consider telling him.

Ron continued to correspond with Ginny, but some of the details began to slip from his letters. He sent letters telling of the births of his children, and declaring that, she was the godmother to them both. But he stopped updating her on Harry. He thought it completely pointless.

Ginny and Lily started to develop a bond more resembling best friends than mother and daughter. They had their arguments, as every mother and daughter do, they told each other almost everything, with exceptions on Ginny's end, due to Lily's age. When Lily was old enough, Ginny enrolled her in Muggle primary school. And then the summer after Lily's eleventh birthday, they received Lily's letter of acceptance to Hogwarts, from the new headmaster, Ernie Macmillan.

x

Harry, now Hogwats' Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and head of Gryffindor House, sat at the staff table looking down at the line of first years filing into the Great Hall for the first time. He knew how they were feeling, nervous and excited; more nervous than excited. He remembered from his own sorting. But then one girl caught his eye. A girl with flaming red hair. A girl with, if he wasn't mistaken, Weasley hair. He'd have to really pay attention to the sorting this year. Not that he didn't pay attention every year. He liked knowing who was coming into his house, but sometimes it took a little while for all the names to stick. But this girl roused his curiosity. She looked like a Weasley, but as far as he knew, the only Weasley's of his generation that had had children, were Bill and Ron. And as far as he knew, they were all still too young. So who could this girl be?

"Okay kids, when I call your name, I want you to come and sit on this stool and put on the hat," said Professor Faye, who was in charge of running the sorting the first day back. Harry wished they had had someone like her running it when he was sorted. She had a sweet, kindly way about her. Professor McGonagall, although she had a soft spot for Gryffindors, was frightening; particularly when you were already scared half to death.

As Professor Faye read down the list, Harry half listened, and kept his eyes glued on the red haired girl.

"Weasley, Lily," the Professor read off. The girl stood, and walked to the stool. So, he'd been right. But he still couldn't figure out, which Weasley she belonged to. He was pulled from this train of thought by the uproar from the Gryffindor table. She had been placed in his house. Maybe he could ask her who her parents were.

And then he had a better idea. After the feast he went up to his office and Floo'd himself into Ron's living room.

He walked into the kitchen, and found Hermione washing dishes. Without even turning around she called out, "Ron, is that you?"

"No, 'Mione it's me," he replied.

She put the plate back in the sink, and ran over to hug him. "Harry, what are you doing here? I mean, it's nice to see you, but I thought school started today."

He nodded. "It did. But I actually had a question for Ron. Is he home?"

She went back to washing the dishes. Harry took a seat the table. "Not yet. Though, he should be home any minute now. Are you hungry? I've got some food left over from dinner."

"No thanks. We just finished the feast. I'm fit to burst." Hermione nodded knowingly. "Hey, 'Mione? Your kids are too young to be at Hogwarts, right?"

Hermione laughed. "Yeah Harry. Yeah they are."

"What about Bill's kids?"

"Oldest should start next year. Why?"

"Well, it's the weirdest thing."

"What's the weirdest thing?" asked Ron, who had just arrived home. He walked to the sink and kissed Hermione on the cheek, then sat down across from Harry, and smiled. "How's it going, mate?"

"Everything's great. But I was just about to say that the weirdest thing happened today. There was a first year named Weasley, but I knew it wasn't one of yours and I was almost positive it wasn't Bill's so I couldn't figure out who's kid it was. I thought I'd ask you. Maybe it was your cousin's daughter or something."

Ron started looking slightly white, and Hermione was visibly tense. "What did you say her name was?" Ron asked.

"Lily. Lily Weasley." Hermione dropped a plate, which shattered, in the sink. Ron had a look on his face very closely resembling a deer caught in the headlights of a car. "Guys, what's going on?" Harry asked.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing's wrong. I don't know whose daughter she is. Must be Muggle-born because there's no Lily in our family," said Ron. He had always been a bad actor, but this was far too obvious. He was covering something up, Harry just didn't know what yet.

"Ron, she has the Weasley, red hair," said Harry, hoping that if he called Ron on his bluff, he could break him.

"Hey, Harry, it's getting late, you should head back to school. Get some rest. You've got classes to teach tomorrow, you know," Hermione said, sounding panicked.

"Okay, alright, I'm going. But I know you guys are hiding something, and I'm going to figure out what," Harry said as he was practically shooed towards the fire grate.

"Goodnight, Harry," Hermione said sweetly.

"'Night," he said, slightly annoyed by his friends' behavior.

xxxxx

And another chapter comes to a close. Let me know what you think.


	7. Out In The Open

**Author's Note:** I don't really have much to say, except that I apologize for this taking so long. I've been busy lately with school and stuff.

**Chapter 7: Out In The Open**

The next day, during his free hour, Harry went up to the headmaster's office. He had it all planned out, he just hoped that Ernie would help him out with this. If he wouldn't, it would make things a whole lot harder. He knocked on the door, hoping that Ernie would be there.

"Come in," came Ernie's voice from the other side of the door. Harry opened the door, and walked in to see Ernie looking up at him from a stack of very official looking documents. Ernie could, apparently, tell by the look on Harry's face that something was up.

"I'm very busy just now, Harry, so if you would be so kind as to keep it brief," Ernie looked slightly annoyed, but in a friendly sort of way.

"I need a favor," Harry started.

Ernie sighed, and neatly placed his quill on the desk in front of him. "What sort of favor?"

"There's this first year in my house. Her last name's Weasley. I've been to see Ron, who claims to have no idea who she is, which I can tell is a total lie. But I was wondering if you could perhaps, inform me as to who's daughter she was."

"Lily? Lily Weasley? She's Ginny's girl, isn't she?"

"Ginny? No, it couldn't be. Lily's eleven. Ginny's barely twenty-seven. She would have to have been only—" Harry stopped mid-sentence, as though something had dawned on him. "Ernie, I'm sorry for bothering you. Thank you. Have a nice, rest of the day."

Ernie was completely confused as to what had just happened. "Yes. Well. You too, Harry." But the words were lost, as Harry was already out the door.

x

That night after dinner, Harry, once again floo'd himself to the home of Ron and Hermione. When he appeared in the living room, he looked around, and seeing no one stalked into the kitchen. When he, once again, saw no one, he decided that shouting would be just as effective.

"WHERE IS SHE?" he shouted in the general direction of the stairs. A few moments later, just as Harry was preparing to shout again, a small boy appeared at the top of the stairs. He was wearing pale blue pajamas, with little feet, and rubbing his eyes with one hand, while holding a small blanket in the other. He couldn't have been more than four.

"Mommy's in the shower, Uncle Harry." The boy started walking down the stairs toward his godfather.

"Did I wake you up?" Harry sat down at the kitchen table, and the boy climbed up in his lap, curling up as best he could, and starting to go back to sleep. He closed his eyes, and put his head on Harry's chest, nodding in response to the question.

Harry ran his hand through the boy's deep red hair, and smiled. He had always treated Ron and Hermione's sons as though they were his own, despite the fact that he shared no blood relation with them. "Go back to sleep, Johnny," he whispered. Just as the boy was starting to drift off, Harry scooped him up in his arms, and carried him up the stairs, depositing him, in his bed. When he reached the door, he lingered for a moment, watching his godson sleep.

Hermione, having heard the shouting, had finished her shower and come to investigate. She had just reached the landing between the bathroom, and he son's room, when she saw Harry standing in the doorway. Despite the dark, she could see the slight smile on his face. When Harry turned, she could see the sad sparkle in his eyes. She knew he wanted to be a father. Knowing how badly he wanted it killed her, because he had it. He just didn't know it yet.

"Were you the one shrieking downstairs?"

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"Scared the crap out of me," she said leading him downstairs.

"I know, I'm sorry," Harry apologized, looking slightly sheepish.

"So, would you like to explain to me, why you've come bursting into my home, shouting and waking my children?"

Suddenly, all the anger Harry had felt when he had first arrived came rushing back to him. "Where's Ginny?"

This surprised Hermione. She had known this was coming; Harry would find out Lily was Ginny's daughter, piece things together, and come back wondering where Ginny was, and why no one had told him. She just hadn't thought it would come so soon.

"Harry, sit down." Hermione put her hands on her friend's shoulders, and tried to steer him towards a chair. But he was taller, stronger, and in quite the mood, so he easily resisted. She gave him her best mother glare and said, "Harry. Sit." Much to her surprise, it worked. She hadn't expected that to work, but it had.

"Now, Ginny's living in Muggle London," she put her hand on his shoulder, forcing him to remain seated. "But, before you rush off, and do something stupid, let me explain a few things." Harry looked annoyed, but complied. "Great. First of all, the end of sixth year, the night you broke up with her, was the night she was going to tell you she was pregnant. You, however, ruined that plan. And despite the fact that we continually told her, to tell you in the last few days of school, she couldn't bring herself to ruin your plans to save the world. And then that day on the train was the last time we saw either one of you for about a year. Ginny kept in contact with Ron, but she didn't tell her parents about the baby for a little while. Eventually, she got up the nerve, and we started seeing more and more of her. That is, until you came back. She kind of started going back into seclusion after that. She was afraid of what you'd say. So she avoided you, and made us promise not to tell you. I'm sorry you had to find out, however it was you found out, instead of from Ginny. Now. Can I let go of you without risking getting run over?" Harry nodded. He seemed completely stunned by all that he had just heard.

After a few moments of silence, he said in a low voice, "I can't believe no one ever told me I had a daughter." In that moment, Hermione's heart broke for him. He looked so devastated. Fatherhood was something he wanted so badly, and then when he finally discovers he has a child, he's already missed eleven years of her life.

Hermione looked at the floor, and said in an equally quiet voice, "Lily's a lot like you, you know. Independent, cynical, slightly jaded. But she's the sweetest girl you'll ever meet. She looks a lot like you too. She has your eyes." Harry looked up at Hermione, and smiled slightly. "I wanted to tell you so many times."

He smiled again, and stood up. "I know, 'Mione. I know." He kissed her on the cheek, walked back into the living room, and floo'd himself back to school."

x

That's all. Although, I would like to clarify, that the reason that Harry's godson, refers to him as "Uncle Harry" is because, I grew up referring to my godparents as my aunts and uncles because it made it easier. I inserted this little bit of my life into the story, because, well, I'm the author, and I can.


	8. Letters

**Author's Note: **This chapter has been a long time in coming. And by that I mean that I pretty much forgot about this fic for the last six months. But I started rereading the Harry Potter books, remembered, and was struck to continue it. So, here we go.

**Chapter 8: Letters**

Ginny pulled all of the letters of her post box, and causally flipped through them. A letter from Lily, presumably telling her about how fabulous Hogwarts is. A note from her mother, probably nagging her to stop by sometime soon. And a third that the very sight of caused her heart to skip a beat. Her name and post address, written in a familiar messy handwriting she hadn't seen in more than a decade.

She hurried back through Diagon Alley and Muggle London to her apartment. Once she was safely back in her home, she flopped down on the couch and sat staring at the letter in her hands. She knew it was from Harry. What would it say? Should she even open it? And then she had a thought. She dropped the letters from her mother and daughter on the coffee, and walked to the fireplace.

When she dropped into the clean, familiar living room, there was no one in sight. She looked around, slightly frantically; hand still wrapped tightly around the letter.

"Hermione! 'Mione where are you?" she called out.

She looked around her again as she walked toward the kitchen, and jumped. There was a suddenly a small boy standing near her, his big brown eyes staring up at her. She smiled down at her nephew.

"Hey, Jimmy. Do you know where your mommy is, hun?" she asked sweetly as she picked him up. He was small for three, and was very light, which was fortunate, as he loved to be carried.

"Out in the backyard with Uncle Bill and Auntie," he mumbled around his thumb, which he had shoved into his mouth.

"Well, lets go outside and see her. You want to?" He nodded. "Okay. Is Johnny out there too? And your cousins?" He nodded again.

She walked through the kitchen, and out into the backyard, which was sunny and full of noise. Bill and Fleur sat talking with Hermione at the table on the other side of the patio, while their two younger children, Bridgette and Topher, played on the grass with Johnny, and their oldest, Adele sat against the fence looking huffy.

She kissed Jimmy on the top of the head, and put him down. "Go play with your cousins, honey."

Ginny turned to walk toward the table and saw her eldest brother walking towards her.

"Hey, Gin." He hugged her, and began to lead her back towards the table. "This is a lovely surprise."

"Ginny, eet iz lovely to see you," Fleur said as she stood to hug Ginny, despite her enormous pregnant stomach. Ginny noted that Fleur's French accent, although still there, was becoming fainter everytime Ginny saw her.

"Hello, Fleur. How are you?" Ginny asked as she hugged Hermione.

"Very pregnant," Bill said with a laugh. Everyone else laughed with him, and Ginny situated herself at the table between Bill and Hermione.

"Er—why is Adele sulking?" she asked. Adele was very much like her mother; beautiful, but moody, and slightly stuck on herself. Ginny loved her niece very much, but sometimes the girl drove her crazy.

"Oh, who knows. One of the kids probably looked at her wrong and set her off. She'll be fine," Bill said in a slightly off-hand manner. "How's Lily? She started at Hogwarts this year, didn't she? What house is she in?"

Ginny glanced quickly at Hermione. She was being awfully quiet. Hermione looked nervous, but pleasant, so Ginny turned back to her brother.

"Lily's fine. Yes, she started this year. What house do you think she's in? Every Weasley I can think of has been in Gryffindor. Her father was a Gryffindor. His father was a Gryffindor. Use your brain, Bill."

Bill smiled, at his sister's teasing. "So she's in Hufflepuff then?"

Ginny smiled back. "Yep. You guessed it. No seriously, she's a Gryffindor, just like the rest of us. Although, I have no idea who the head of house is now that McGonagall has retired. I mean that was four years ago, but I still never found out who her replacement was. But I saw that Ernie is the new head—what's wrong with you all?"

Suddenly, looking around the table, everyone looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Actually, Gin, I'm glad you're here. Bill, Fleur, would you mind watching the kids for a minute? We'll be right back. Ginny, come inside with me for a minute."

Ginny shot confused looks at the other three, and then followed Hermione into the house. As soon as they were out of earshot of the backyard, Ginny asked, "Okay, seriously you're freaking me out here. What's going on?"

"We honestly should have told you this years ago. Okay, so there's something you should know about the current teachers at Hogwarts. After Professor McGonagall retired, they needed a new headmaster, a head of Gryffindor, a Transfiguration teacher, and well, and a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, because, well we both know the luck Hogwarts has had with them. Ernie was hired as the new headmaster, and they found a woman by the name of Laura Faye to teach Transfiguration." Hermione stopped and took a deep breath.

"Okay, but what's the big deal?" Ginny said slightly impatiently.

"I'm getting to it. So, they were still down a head of Gryffindor, and a Defense teacher. And well, they hired Harry." She glanced nervously at Ginny, fully expecting her to blow up. But Ginny looked completely stunned.

Ginny glanced quickly at the letter she was still holding, and whispered, "Oh."

"There's more." Hermione pulled a chair out from the kitchen table and steered her friend toward it. "Here. Sit. He was here last night. He came barging in shouting and asking where you were. He somehow found out that Lily was his and wanted to know where you were so that he could talk to you. I don't even know how he found out. He was here the night before asking about Lily, about if we knew whose kid she was. We didn't say anything then, but when he came back last night, and he knew, I had to tell him, Gin. I explained about why you never told him, why we never told him. I gave him your box number so that he could write you if he wanted. I assume that's the letter you're holding and that's why you're here." Ginny nodded slowly, processing.

Hermione sat down carefully next to her. "What does it say, Gin?" she asked quietly.

Ginny shook her head, and practically whispered, "I—I don't know. I haven't opened it yet."

"Open it now. He probably just wants to talk. You can floo to his office from here once you read it if you'd like. I—I'm going back outside, okay?" Ginny nodded.

As soon as Hermione disappeared outside, she slit open the envelope, and read the letter inside.

_Dear Ginny,_

_I haven't heard from you in a long time. I hope you are doing well. I'd like to speak with you at some point in the near future, if that is at all possible. Send back a time to meet or just come to my office. If I'm not there, please wait for me. _

_Respectfully,_

Harry 

Ginny read the letter twice, and then folded it back up and put it back into its envelope. She tucked the envelope into her back pocket, and then went back into the yard and walked quickly over to the table.

"I'm afraid that I have to go now," she said when she reached the table. She said her goodbyes, hugging Hermione and Fleur, and quickly kissing her brother on the cheek. On her way back into the house, she called out a goodbye to her nieces and nephews, who each came and hugged her. Once she was back in the house, she walked straight to the fireplace, and floo'd herself away.

x

Harry suddenly knew how everyone who had ever known his parents felt when they looked at him. All of his wizarding life, he had heard the same two sentences out of everyone who had known them; "you look just like your father. But you've got your mother's eyes." And now he understood how it felt to look at someone and see someone else. He now felt the same pangs they must have felt whenever they looked at him.

His daughter looked exactly like her mother. But she had his eyes. Looking at Lily was like looking at Ginny. And this is what made it difficult. He was in love with Ginny. He always had been.

He hadn't spoken to Lily yet, however. He was, actually afraid to. Harry Potter, hero of the wizarding world, was afraid of an eleven-year-old girl. He had so many questions for her. Did she know he was her father? Did she know about him and what he had done in his life? Did she care? How had her life been? How was Ginny?

But he couldn't risk talking to her about all of this, if it wasn't what Ginny wanted. Luckily, for him, between it being the start of term, and him being famous, his first year classes were pretty much silent if he wasn't talking.

He stood at the front of the classroom, looking out at petrified faces of the first year Gryffindors.

Well here goes nothing, he thought to himself.

"Okay, well. Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. I am Professor Potter. I am also your head of house, which means that you can come to me if you have any problems. You'll also be coming to me if you're in trouble. Yes, I am _the_ Harry Potter. Yes, I really have the scar." He pushed his hair off of his face at this point to reveal the lightening bolt on his forehead. "Yes I really did battle Voldemort," the class flinched as a collective whole. "On several occasions. Yes, more than one of those battles actually did take place within the walls of this school. No, I will not get into the gory details. If you think you know someone who went here about ten years ago, and you think that they'll tell you, ask them.

"So, now that we've gotten that out of the way, I should probably get to know you guys." He smiled hoping they would loosen up a little. "Look, kids. I'm a nice guy. I want this to be a fun class. Over the six years that I actually attended this school, I had six different Defense teachers. Some of them were okay, some of them were useless, and some of them made this class something to look forward to. I want to do that for you. I want to make this class worth it for you. And as I stated before, I've battled Voldemort, so I've got a bit of a heads up on the subject." At the sound of Voldemort's name the class again flinched.

"Alright, not to put off attendance even more, but I need to say this. I do call Voldemort by his name. In the words of Professor Dumbledore, 'fear of the name, only increases fear of the thing itself.' And although, I will admit that Voldemort is terrifying, there is no need to increase the fear he causes by fearing his name, so you will hear me use his name. I don't expect you to, unless you feel comfortable, but I expect you to become comfortable hearing the name.

"And now finally, attendance. When I call your name, please do something to call attention to the fact that I'm speaking to you. If I miss pronounce your name, please let me know. Let's start at the bottom of the list.

"Weasley, Lily."

Lily cautiously raised her hand.

"Ah, I should have known you were the Weasley. You have the hair you know," he said.

She smiled slightly and nodded.

"I spent a lot of time at your grandmother's house growing up. I was good friends with, well all of your aunts and uncles. Ron in particular."

"I know, sir." Harry's heart skipped a beat. She sounded exactly like Ginny, too. "My mum said that you and Uncle Ron had been friends at Hogwarts, and that you would come to Grandma's during the summers because you lived with these awful Muggles."

Harry felt himself go red. "Yes, well, your mum is a smart woman. Out of curiosity, which Weasley do you belong to?" he asked, smiling in a way that was friendly and not petrified like if felt, and already knowing the answer.

"Ginny."

"Oh. I didn't know she had a daughter. But on the other hand I haven't talked to her in ten years. I hear you're living in Muggle London?"

"Er… yes, sir."

Harry continued to call the role and discovered that most of the class was a sibling of a former student or a relative of a former friend. He then set the class to work reading about blocking charms. When the bell rang, he called out, "now remember we're going to practice those next week, so you need to read on how to do them. If you don't, and someone hexes you, I'm going to allow the whole class to point and laugh." This statement got a giggle out of a few of the girls in the class, and he was satisfied that they were getting used to him.

He was about to pack up himself, and go back to his office, when a tallish red headed woman wearing Muggle clothing and looking slightly ruffled appeared in the doorway.

xxxxx

That's it. I'll, hopefully, post another chapter soon.


	9. Conflict

**Chapter 9: Conflict**

Ginny looked exactly the same as she always had. A little older, a little taller, a little more filled out, but all of her features were the same.

"So I hear you're some big hero now," she said with a slight smirk. She was trying to look calm and causal, despite the fact that just looking him was killing her on the inside. Fortunately for her, she was a much better actor than her brother was.

Harry felt himself turn pink and suddenly became extremely interested in the papers on his desk, rearranging them with one hand while running the other nervously through his already untidy hair. "Er—yeah I guess I sort of am."

He heard her step into the classroom and close the door. He could feel her eyes on him. He looked up to see her sitting on a desk in the front row staring at him. He walked around to the front of his desk, and leaned against it so that he was opposite her. It was like torture for them both. With him this close she could tell that he still smelled the same; a mix of fabric softener, soap, and something distinctly him. He realized that sitting this close was a mistake. It took all of his strength not to lean across the foot between them and kiss her.

"So, how have you been," he asked.

"For the last ten years? I've been pretty good, busy, but good. I live in Muggle London. Work two jobs. Good stuff like that. How have you been?"

"I've been busy as well. With the whole battling evil wizards thing. I've been working here for the last four years. I stay here during the summers as well. I think the other teachers think that I'm afraid if I leave I'll wind up like every other Defense teacher Hogwarts has had over the last couple decades." They both laughed a little at this, knowing that he was the first one in more than twenty years to hold the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for more than one year.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, while looking at his shoes.

"For what?" she asked in the same tone. He could feel her eyes on him, trying to tell if he meant it.

"For how I left," he said looking up at her meeting her eyes, and silently pleading with her to believe him.

"You mean, for breaking up with me when I was pregnant because you were afraid, and then not talking to me for ten years," she said, sounding far more hostile than she had intended.

"Yes. But you and I both know that if I had known that you were pregnant, I wouldn't have gone. I would have stayed with you. I would have married you, and helped you raise Lily."

"And you and I both know I couldn't have done that," she said quietly.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You were 'the Chosen One' Harry! You were going to go out and save the world. Do you really think you could have done that with a wife and daughter at home?"

"And what about when I came back, Ginny? That was almost seven years ago now. Seven years, Ginny!"

"Maybe I was afraid you would react like this. Yelling at me. Telling me I should have told you. You know what, this was a bad idea. Lily's gotten by just fine for the last eleven years without a father. She doesn't need one now." Ginny got up and started walking toward the door, practically in tears. This was not how she had envisioned this conversation going.

She was almost to the door when she heard Harry say, "she looks just like you, you know." His voice was barely above a whisper.

She smiled a little. "But she's got your mother's eyes. That's why I named her Lily." When she turned around to look at him, he had tears in his eyes. It was the first time, in all of the time that she had known him that she had seen him cry.

She walked back to him, and cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to look up at her. Touching him hurt more than she could have ever said. But it didn't matter. It wasn't about her anymore.

He looked her in the eyes, and with a small smile, said, "You've done a good job with her, Gin."

And that was the final straw. Between the smile, the compliment, and the use of her nickname, she couldn't restrain herself anymore.

She leaned down slightly and, closing the few inch gap between them, kissed him. She was afraid he'd push her away, tell her he didn't love her anymore, something. But he didn't. Instead he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her in closer to him, kissing her back. She could feel the stubble on his chin, and the tear tracks on his cheeks, but she didn't care, she was kissing the man that she had been in love with since she was fifteen.

He pulled back gently, breaking the kiss. She rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes. "I've really missed you, Gin," he whispered.

She kissed him again quickly, and whispered back, "I've missed you, too."

x

_Alright guys, I think this story's pretty much winding down. I'm not really sure what else I'm going to do with it. I'll probably have one or two more chapters, but we're getting down to the end. But yeah, that's the chapter. I hope you liked it, and feel free to review._


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